2025-07-22 07:25

22 luglio (Reuters) - Il dollaro si muove in stretto range, dopo un breve calo all'inizio della settimana, con gli investitori in attesa di eventuali progressi nei colloqui in vista della scadenza del 1° agosto, che impone ai paesi di raggiungere accordi commerciali con gli Stati Uniti, pena l'imposizione di dazi doganali elevati. ** Lo yen mantiene per lo più i guadagni della sessione precedente, dopo che l'esito delle elezioni giapponesi per la Camera non si è rivelato peggiore di quanto già scontato. Sign up here. ** La valuta nipponica si è leggermente indebolita a 147,57 dollari, dopo essere salita dell'1% ieri. ** L'euro si è leggermente indebolito a 1,1689 dollari, con l'attenzione rivolta anche alla decisione sui tassi da parte della Banca Centrale Europea, prevista per giovedì, quando i policymaker dovrebbero lasciare i tassi invariati. ** Rispetto a un paniere delle principali divise, il biglietto verde è in modesto progresso a quota 97,882, dopo essere sceso dello 0,6% ieri. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/dollaro-cerca-di-direzione-attende-maggiore-chiarezza-su-dazi-2025-07-22/

2025-07-22 07:20

Shares rise 3.5% on core profit beat Hydro slashes 2025 spending by NOK 1.5 bln Plans to cut 100 jobs at Hydro Extrusions July 22 (Reuters) - Norwegian aluminium producer Norsk Hydro (NHY.OL) , opens new tab cut its 2025 capital spending guidance by 1.5 billion crowns ($147.5 million) and froze external white-collar hiring on Tuesday, as input costs are volatile and demand uncertain due to U.S. tariffs. U.S. tariffs on aluminium have roiled trade flows and pushed physical market premiums to record highs, amplifying cost pressures for American buyers and redrawing global supply lines. Sign up here. The Norwegian firm plans to cut more than 100 jobs at its Hydro Extrusions division by 2025, prioritising operational efficiency and cost control. "We have so far not seen big changes to our operations from tariffs and potential trade wars. Our main concern is whether the uncertainty will lead to a global economic downturn," CEO Eivind Kallevik said in a statement. Hydro reported a 33.4% rise in second-quarter core profit, helped by higher aluminium and energy prices, and despite cost pressures from pricier raw materials, notably alumina, as well as forex rate impact. Its shares were up 3.5% in early trading in the pan-European 600 index (.STOXX) , opens new tab. Order bookings for some business areas showed early signs of improvement, especially for domestic producers benefiting from lower imports, the company said. The results beat expectations despite weakness at the bauxite and alumina and aluminium metal divisions, as the so-called other and eliminations segment bolstered earnings, analysts said. The U.S. remains heavily reliant on imports, with Canada alone supplying over two-thirds of its aluminium. The new 50% levies have made it costlier to bring in foreign metal into the world's largest economy. With Chinese smelters churning out record volumes of aluminium and looking to offload surplus abroad, barriers in the West have offered short-term relief to companies like Hydro by lifting regional premiums and curbing low-cost competition. Hydro's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation rose to 7.79 billion Norwegian crowns in April-June from 5.84 billion crowns a year earlier. Analysts on average had expected it to report a core profit of 7.30 billion crowns, according to a company-compiled consensus , opens new tab. The company's 2025 capital spending guidance now stands at 13.5 billion crowns. ($1 = 10.1730 Norwegian crowns) https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/aluminium-producer-norsk-hydro-trims-2025-spending-amid-global-trade-risks-2025-07-22/

2025-07-22 07:18

ECB's policy decision due on Thursday Fed policy meeting scheduled for next week July 22 (Reuters) - Gold prices eased on Tuesday from their highest level in more than a month, pressured by profit-taking and a slight rebound in the dollar, while investors looked for progress in trade talks ahead of an August 1 deadline. Spot gold was down 0.3% at $3,384.49 per ounce, as of 0656 GMT. Earlier in the session, bullion hit its highest level since June 17. Sign up here. U.S. gold futures also slipped 0.3% to $3,397. "Gold's move on the upside has been pretty much supported by positive technicals and as well as reinforced by a broad base of dollar weakness," OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong said. The dollar index (.DXY) , opens new tab edged 0.1% higher after falling to a more than one-week low on Monday, making greenback-priced gold more expensive for other currency holders. The European Union is exploring a broader set of possible countermeasures against the United States as prospects for an acceptable trade agreement with Washington fade, according to EU diplomats. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened 30% duties on imports from Europe if no agreement is signed before the August 1 deadline. "There could be a possibility that U.S. and the respective trading partners may not agree to the terms and condition and that potentially could see a bit of uncertainty and there could be some hedging activities by market participants going forward," Wong said. Also on radar, the European Central Bank is expected to hold interest rates steady at 2.0% following a string of cuts at the end of its policy meeting on July 24. The U.S. Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting is scheduled for next week. Traders are pricing about a 59% chance of a rate cut by the Fed in September, according to the CME FedWatch Tool. Gold tends to perform well in a low-interest-rate environment. Spot silver dipped 0.1% to $38.86 per ounce, platinum added 0.6% to $1,447.53 and palladium gained 0.2% to $1,266.95. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/gold-eases-one-month-high-firmer-dollar-profit-taking-2025-07-22/

2025-07-22 07:15

OSLO, July 22 (Reuters) - Norway's combined oil and gas production exceeded an official forecast by 2.3% in June, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) said on Tuesday. Norway is Europe's largest supplier of natural gas and a major producer of oil, but output varies from month to month depending on maintenance needs and other stoppages at more than 90 offshore fields. Sign up here. Overall oil, condensate, natural gas liquids and gas output stood at 0.587 million standard cubic metres per day, equivalent to 3.69 million barrels of oil equivalent, a decrease of 10.9% year-on-year driven primarily by greater maintenance levels. Natural gas production in June fell to 292.3 million cubic metres (mcm) per day from 345.9 mcm a year earlier, but exceeded a forecast of 283.6 mcm by 3.1%, the regulator said on its website. Crude oil output fell to 1.68 million barrels per day (bpd) in June from 1.73 million bpd in the same month last year, but came in above a forecast of 1.62 million bpd, NOD's preliminary data showed. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/norways-overall-oil-gas-output-beats-forecast-june-2025-07-22/

2025-07-22 07:12

OSLO, July 22 (Reuters) - Norway's biggest utility, state-owned Statkraft, reported a deeper quarterly net loss on Tuesday, as lower expectations for Nordic power prices and an ongoing restructuring of the group prompted it to write down the value of a number of assets. The net loss for the April-June period widened to 6.5 billion Norwegian crowns ($638.56 million) from 992 million crowns in the second quarter of 2024. Sign up here. Statkraft, which has continued to scale back its growth ambitions this year amid rising costs, said on Tuesday it will prioritise investments in near-term profitable opportunities. "Given the current market situation and geopolitical realities, combined with Statkraft's recent high activity and investment level, we are adjusting our strategic ambitions," CEO Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal said in a statement. Ratings agency Fitch this month cut Statkraft's credit rating by one notch to BBB+, citing weakening performance and financial metrics. The company booked impairments of 6.3 billion crowns in the second quarter, of which 2.5 billion crowns related to Swedish wind power assets and 0.5 billion to Norwegian wind farms. Other impairments related to battery energy storage systems investments in Britain, joint venture hydropower plants in Chile and the group's corporate development portfolio, Statkraft said. Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell to 4.5 billion crowns, from 6.5 billion a year ago as lower power prices outweighed higher production. Nordic power prices averaged 26.5 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) in the quarter, down from 35.3 euros/MWh a year ago, Statkraft said. ($1 = 10.1791 Norwegian crowns) https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/norway-utility-statkraft-books-640-million-quarterly-loss-after-impairments-2025-07-22/

2025-07-22 06:54

July 22 (Reuters) - Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli (LISN.S) , opens new tab on Tuesday raised its organic sales growth forecast citing customer loyalty despite steep price hikes, with a growing taste for more premium products especially in Europe. Shoppers continued to bear the brunt of high cocoa prices as Lindt raised prices of its products by another 15.8% in the first half of 2025. Sign up here. The maker of Lindor chocolate balls said it expected organic sales growth of between 9% and 11% for the full year, after previously guiding for 7% to 9%. It posted sales of 2.35 billion Swiss francs ($2.95 billion) for the January-June period, up 11.2% organically. That beat the mean estimate of 2.30 billion from analysts polled by LSEG. Analysts have said Lindt benefits from its premium positioning and strong pricing power despite cost challenges, and its performance should be further supported as the cocoa inflation eases. London cocoa futures (.LCCc2) , opens new tab have nearly halved after reaching historic highs in 2024, but despite the sharp drop, cocoa prices remain clearly above the historical average. Growth in the first half was driven by a dynamic performance of core products such as Lindor and Lindt Excellence and product innovation including the Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate, it added. Europe showed strong organic growth of 17.7%, while North American sales grew just 3.6%, below the company's expectations, amid a weak consumer sentiment. Lindt continues to evaluate its sourcing strategy ahead of the expected imposition of new U.S. tariffs on August 1, a company spokesperson told Reuters. It produces 95% of the chocolates it sells in the U.S. at its five factories in the country, which also supply less than half of the products sold in Canada. Lindt had said in March it would supply chocolate made in Europe to Canada to avoid reciprocal tariffs on U.S. goods, but later said it had not adapted the strategy yet, after several changes to tariffs placed on imports and exports from the U.S. ($1 = 0.7975 Swiss francs) https://www.reuters.com/business/lindt-lifts-outlook-shoppers-taste-chocolate-trumps-high-prices-2025-07-22/